


Hold My Hand

by backtoblack101



Series: Some May Condemn These Vile Affections [2]
Category: Agent Carter (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Nightmares, Period-Typical Homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-21
Updated: 2015-03-21
Packaged: 2018-03-18 22:28:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3586386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/backtoblack101/pseuds/backtoblack101
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peggy's plagued by nightmares and all Angie can do is try her best to calm her down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hold My Hand

**Author's Note:**

> the first of what will probably be several sequels to "The Storms of Life" because i'm trash and I apparently don't care that my college work is suffering.

Angie’s hand felt warm in her own. She knew she shouldn’t hold it like this, out in the open as they walked from the Automat to the pictures, but it was just so warm, so soft, so inviting. The way Angie’s fingers laced in through her own and her thumb stroked her knuckles made Peggy feel like just for a second no one could possibly condemn her for being in love.

That second couldn’t last though.

First it was a look from a group of grey suited men across the street, a sneering kind of condemnation that Peggy fought to ignore – focus on Angie’s hand, focus on its warmth, its security. She held it just a little tighter.

Then there were more men, in front of them this time. Their faces dark with disgust; muttering under their breath in harsh tones, words that never quite reached Peggy’s ears yet she knew what they were saying, knew what they were thinking. Her hand gripped Angie’s so tight now she was sure she’d break it.

Finally they were at the cinema except they couldn’t get in. There were men lining the entrance, their disgust palpable the closer Peggy stepped, their shoulders broad, and their hands curled into fists. They ran at them, trying to tear them apart and Peggy threw one over her shoulder, knocked another to the ground, all the while maintaining her hold on Angie’s hand. There were too many though, too many for Peggy to fight one handed, too many for Peggy to fight even if she had use of both, and eventually they tore her away from Angie.

The last thing she saw was a wisp of Angie’s hair as she was pulled into the darkness of the crowd. Then she was being held by her arms and familiar faces were emerging from the tumultuous throngs of people around her.

Her mother and father, letting Peggy know their disappointment. Her brother; pleading with her to give Angie up. Her old head mistress, her jaw just as firm as ever and her eyes just as cold, reminding her she’d always been trouble. Then Helen Howsam; still just a teenager, reminding Peggy she was nothing. Over and over people emerged from the crowd; Daniel, Jarvis, Howard, Thompson, Chief Dooley, Ms. Fry, Timothy Duggan and the rest of the Howling Commandos.

Finally there was only one face left to see and when Steve stepped forward, shield held out in front of him, in full combat uniform, Peggy could feel her knees give in under her and she fell to the ground. “A woman Peg?” His voice was harsher than she’d ever known it could be. “Maybe I’m glad I didn’t get that dance after all…” Then he was walking away again and Peggy was crying hot, fat tears and there was Angie’s voice in the distance again, calling out for her.

“Peggy? Peggy, honey?”

When Peggy jolted awake the room around her was spinning, her chest was heaving, and just like in her dream her cheeks were damp with tears. It took her a moment to find her bearings; the room was dark but she eventually recognised it as her own, with its high ceilings and dark red and mahogany interior.

There was a hand on her back as well, and a warm body pressed against her own. “Angie.” Her voice was raspy, and her entire body shook when she turned to envelope the woman beside her in a hug, folding her head into the crook of her lover’s neck to take in her scent; fruity perfume and lavender bath oils.

“Yea Peg, it’s me honey,” Angie whispered against the shell of her ear, her fingers scratching through Peggy’s knotted hair. “I ain’t goin’ anywhere, you ain’t gotta worry.”

“I know,” was all Peggy managed to get out around the lump in her throat before she was crying again, her tears soaking into the hair that fell around Angie’s shoulders.

For a while they just stayed like that, Angie running one hand through Peggy’s hair and the other up and down the back of her silk slip in soothing circles while Peggy fought to even out her breathing, her hands bunching in the sides of Angie’s nightdress, refusing to let her go. It felt like hours before Peggy drew back from Angie’s shoulder, and when she did Angie instinctually reached up and wiped the stray tears from her eyes, her hand cupping her cheek when she’d finished as she pressed a soft kiss against Peggy’s lips.

“Wanna talk about it?” She whispered when the kiss broke, her breath still hot against Peggy’s mouth.

Peggy knew it was late, knew they should be sleeping, but she nodded anyway, her eyes still raw and her body still shaking. Angie nodded then as well and got up out of the bed, smiling softly at the small noise of protest Peggy made when she untangled their limbs.

She picked a hairbrush up off the vanity and got back into bed, this time positioning herself behind Peggy, sitting back on her heels and reaching out for Peggy’s knotted hair, gently beginning to tease out the tangles.

“I was taking you to the pictures,” Peggy began slowly, feeling oddly soothed by the repetitive motion of the brush against her scalp and Angie’s gentle hand on her shoulder holding her in place. “We were probably going to see one of those silly romance movies you love so much,” she added, laughing when Angie swatted her shoulder at the comment. “There were people everywhere though, judging us, trying to hurt us… I couldn’t hold onto your hand.” Peggy felt her voice cracking and tears pricking her eyes.

Angie stopped what she was doing for a moment, her hand falling away from Peggy’s shoulder and instead reaching forward to grab one of the hands Peggy had coiled in her lap. “English,” Angie started; her voice soft but firm against the back of Peggy’s ear. “I promise you I won’t ever let go of your hand, you hear me? Not ever.” She gave it a squeeze to emphasise her point.

Peggy nodded then smiled. “You may need to in order to finish my hair.” She could tell Angie was rolling her eyes.

“Didn’t you have a dream to tell me about,” Angie shot back, her voice teasing as she pulled back her hand and continued her work.

“Mm,” Peggy hummed; her hand cold now that it was empty. “Once I lost you people started coming up to me to tell me how disgusted they were, my parents, my friends, colleagues,” she sighed. “Now that I’m awake it’s somewhat irrational. Most people that approached me in the dream are people I know wouldn’t care who I lay down with, old friends from the army, Mr. Jarvis, Howard Stark,” she paused for a moment. “Steve.”

She felt Angie’s hands still from where they’d been starting on a French braid. “You really don’t think he would’a cared I was shackin’ up with you now?” She’d always wondered but never dared ask.

“He wanted me to be happy,” Peggy informed her, so sure it was the truth even if it had never been something her and Steve had discussed. “He would have wanted me to be with someone good and pure that could make me smile, even if that person wasn’t him. He wouldn’t have cared less that it was a woman.” She smiled ever so slightly and leaned back a little further into Angie. “He’d probably have quite liked you in fact,” she added, knowing it was the truth.

“Well I am a treat,” Angie teased, her fingers returning to pulling Peggy’s hair into a loose but elegant braid.

They were silent after that while Angie finished the braid, the steadiness of her fingers allowing Peggy to finally calm down, the dream seeming less and less real the longer she spent listening to the tune Angie hummed under her breath as she worked.

When she finished Angie tied the braid with a bobble she kept on her wrist then pushed it over Peggy’s shoulder, pressing a soft kiss into the exposed skin of her neck. “Done,” she hummed, pressing another kiss slightly lower into the crook where Peggy’s neck and shoulder met.

“I’m sorry I woke you,” Peggy whispered in lieu of thanks as she leaned back into Angie’s embrace, letting the waitress wrap her arms securely around her waist.

Angie kissed just behind her ear. “S’okay, not like I need much beauty sleep anyway.” She smiled when Peggy hummed her agreement. “Plus now I can cuddle up to you without your hair ticklin’ my nose.”

“So really this was all a ploy for you to get a better night sleep?” Peggy nodded.

“Exactly,” Angie laughed softly, using her arms around Peggy’s waist to turn them both until Peggy was lying on her back and Angie was able to lie her head on her shoulder, one arm still slung over her waist. “That and I love you and I hate seein’ you like that,” she added, the words barely a murmur against Peggy’s clavicle.

Peggy turned her head just enough to capture Angie’s lips in a brief kiss. “I love you too,” she agreed because it was true, and because when it was just the two of them she could say it and feel safe, and because really when it all came down to it loving Angie was all that really mattered.


End file.
